Monsters of Homeschooling: Comparison

Monsters of Homeschooling

"My kid can read and he's only 3!"

"We just got back from a 5 day educational trip to D.C."

"My daughter got accepted to Yale and she's only 16!"

If someone were to make these statements to you, how would you feel? Happy for them? Or would you instantly begin to wonder why your son wasn't reading at 3? Would you ask yourself when the last time was you took a field trip much less an educational vacation?

It is totally natural to compare. I didn't say it was healthy, just natural. If you happen to be one of those people who is immune to this, congrats. For those of us that let the comparison monster occupy our thoughts, we need to come up with a better way.

Let me start by saying that I have been visited by the comparison monster. It's just another thing that I let get in my way and shift my focus off what I have and what is important. Here are some strategies that I find are helpful when Comparison comes around.

1. Dig deep and find some happiness for the person that is sharing the great news. You are not in competition and the sooner you realize this, the happier you will be.

2. Realize that things are not always as they seem. We live in the world of Facebook, or as my friends and I like to call it, Fakebook. I am not saying that people are lying. I like to call it selective story telling.

3. Be content. Teaching your children how to be content with what they have is an important lesson and one they learn from your example. Remember, someone else is happy with less than you have.

4. Tell the comparison monster to take a hike by setting goals. Goals mean that you are only comparing you to yourself and your kids to themselves. There will always be someone ahead of you or more creative than you or richer than you. What good does it do to compare yourself to that person? Compare the you of today to the you of last month or last year.

I know I am not telling you anything new, but sometimes we need a gentle reminder to help us refocus. Homeschooling Monsters come in and rob us from the joys of being a homeschool parent. Allow yourself time to step back every once in awhile so that you can see things for what they truly are....AMAZING!